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This is a popular safari for first time travellers to Kenya, as it visits the famous Masai Mara and lakes Bogoria, Baringo and Nakuru. It has a mix of easy walking, good scenery and wildlife viewing, from both car and foot. You can easily add a few days; options include Loita Hills, Aberdare and Chyulu hills with Tsavo West. This seven day safari is for those who don't have much time to spend in Kenya and cannot do a 14 or 21 day safari. We shall visit the Rift Valley Lakes (a naturalist's dream due to the hundreds of bird and mammal species in the area) and the Masai Mara (with its great wildlife density and cultural roots). For these reasons, this is a very popular route but with a difference offering a much more active experience than viewing from a four wheel drive vehicle. Likewise, it is not very demanding as we only have short walking sections. 
Day 1- Nairobi To Lake BogoriaDeparting either your hotel or the airport, we travel out of Nairobi climbing to the edge of the Great Rift Valley, which runs from Syria in the north, to Malawi and into Mozambique. We spend a few minutes taking in the view of Mt Longonot and Mt Suswa, extinct volcanoes. Back on the highway descending into the valley, we stop for a packed lunch in the sisal plantations just north of Nakuru. There is normally time to walk a couple of hours, and there are good views as we approach Lake Bogoria, sometimes hosting many flamingos. We camp on the lakeshore, a wild and beautiful place that we often have to ourselves. Dinner is under the acacia trees, stars above.
Day 2- Lake Bogoria To Lake Nakuru (walking)It's an early breakfast, before walking out of camp and following the eastern edge of this soda lake, snuggled up against the steep eastern wall of the rift valley. There are hot springs, many flamingos and sometimes zebra, warthog, kudu, and great scenery. It can get hot and we have to complete the 25km walk, as this side of the lake is quite remote with no roads. Meeting the vehicle mid-afternoon, It's a 40 km drive further north to Lake Baringo. This is a fresh water Lake with an amazing number of bird species, and plenty of hippo and crocodile. Accomodation in bandas near the lake shore, and time to relax with a couple of cold beers while we reflect on the days walk.
Day 3- Lake Baringo To Lake NakuruBefore breakfast enjoy a boat ride on the lake to view the lakes birdlife, hippo and crocodile. After breakfast we load up the car and drive south again to Nakuru National Park. The park is famous for its flamingo, but also has many rhino, black and white, plus buffalo and some visitors may be lucky to see leopard or lion. We spend the afternoon on a game drive as no walking is allowed in the park. We camp inside the park, it's very common to see and hear buffalo and zebra near the camp.
Day 4- Lake Nakuru To Masai MaraAn early morning gamedrive in the park before breakfast, then drive over the Mau escarpment via the town of Narok, to the northern plains outside the Masai Mara. Here we meet our Masai guides, we will have a chance to stretch our legs and walk into camp, which is set up in the middle of nowhere. My idea of a good camp is a place where there is no other sign of civilisation, and we constantly move camps so as to make as little impact on the land as possible. We can expect animal sounds in the night; dinner is outside with the stars up above.
Day 5- Masai MaraToday we walk straight into the bush, accompanied by our Masai. The camp will be moved approximately 12 kms, but we spend the morning exploring these plains, careful not to bump into elephant. Depending on the time of year we expect to see most of the small species, i.e., topi hartebeests wildebeest various gazelle, giraffe, eland. It is a very different experience, standing there viewing wildlife with binoculars. You will not normally get very close as animals we will keep a safe distance, but it is just them and us, the sounds and smells are unique. I have seen elephant close, but we generally try to keep well away from these giants who can be extremely dangerous to people on foot, and I have seen lion very close on occasions, as well as cheetah. We aim to get to camp early afternoon, and showers are organised, followed by relaxing at camp. Dinner will be under the stars again.
Day 6- Masai Mara (walking)An early morning walk, quietly looking for wild animals near the camp. Back for breakfast and then drive into the Mara proper with a packed lunch, we gamedrive our way to the Mara river, with its great herds of hippo lounging about on the riverbanks. We spend the day searching for the big game that this park is so famous for. We get back into camp in time for a refreshing beer, before dinner under the stars.
Day 7- Masai Mara To Nairobi (some walking)This is the last day of this particular safari (unless you have organised an extension to other areas such as Loita Hills - see brief description below, OR Chyulu Hills). So when you are ready, we leave the crew breaking camp, and walk for a couple of hours until the 4x4 catches up with us. Then its goodbye to our Masai friends, and we head back to Nairobi with drop off at your hotel.
LOITA HILLSThe loita hills are part of the western edge of the rift valley. The heavily forested hills are inhabited and jealously guarded by the Masai. It is a wonderful place for walking and it is possible to spend a couple of days exploring the hills and valley. Alternatively, we can organise a longer walk starting in the west and descending into the rift valley via the Nguruman escarpment, ending at the north end of Lake Natron, right on the Kenya/ Tanzania border. This is ideal to add onto the end of the 7 days Wild Plains safari or even to make a safari by itself or in conjunction with the Masai Mara."We have recently been on the safari of a lifetime organised by John Bisley of Kenya. We could not have asked for better service or a more informed and interesting guide. We went to Samburu, Lake Nakuru and to the Masai Mara and had the time of our lives and saw the most wonderful sights and more game that we could possibly have hoped. This really was a dream holiday and we really cannot think how it could have been bettered. Everything worked like clockwork despite the fact that we were travelling huge distances and the whole country was so fascinating and diverse that time passed quickly. The game drives were first class and our guide made sure that we saw a huge variety of game and birds - big and small. Everything was superb and each reserve had it own highlights. The highlight in Samburu were the large elephant families, in Nakura the white rhino and the flamingos and in the Mara the big cats - lions leopards and cheetahs. We highly recommend Wildhorizons Safaris to anyone who is considering an African safari adventure."
Costi & Jackie Zarifeh 7 DAYS WILD PLAINS - CAMP OPTION:X 2 Guests:
X 4 Guests:
7 DAYS WILD PLAINS - LODGE OPTION:X 2 Guests:
X 4 Guests:
NOTE: For those looking for a LODGE option; we use the following lodges and luxury tented camps (subject to availability);Lake Bogoria Hotel, Lake Baringo Country Club, Flamingo hill tented camp Nakuru, Mara Wilderness Base Camp and J.K Mara Eco-camp
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Country: Kenya